British regimental number research. First World War research. Military research. British Army regiments. Regimental numbering sequences between 1881 and 1918. Regimental number series. Other rank prisoners of war 1914.

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8 January 2009

The 21st (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (First Surrey Rifles), had its origins in the 1st Surrey (South London) Volunteer Rifles Corps (or simply the 1st Surrey Rifles to those who served with it).Here are some sample army service numbers and corresponding joining dates for the 1st Surrey Rifles:16 joined on 1st April 1908425 joined on 8th February 19091088 joined on 10th January 19101211 joined on 24th March 19111350 joined on 30th September 19121385 joined on 1st February 19131550 joined on 30th January 19141677 joined on 6th August 19142417 joined on 1st September 19143211 joined on 1oth November 19143246 joined on 29th December 19143257 joined on 11th January 19153282 joined on 3rd February 19153352 joined on 22nd March 19153369 joined on 7th April 19153711 joined on 3rd May 19154131 joined on 3rd June 19154341 joined on 2nd July 19154407 joined on 2nd August 19154459 joined on 8th September 19154567 joined on 11th October 19154629 joined on 2nd November 19154765 joined on 14th December 19154796 joined on 28th January 19164837 joined on 22nd February 19164905 joined on 1st March 19165066 joined on 1st April 19165488 joined on 2nd June 19166333 joined on 7th July 19166848 joined on 31st August 19167052 joined on 7th October 19167229 joined on 5th November 19168463 joined on 5th January 1917There are anomalies in sequential numbering in this battalion so care should be taken when trying to determine joining dates solely from the information above. For instance, 8007 joined on 4th September 1916 and was later renumbered 654280. 8007 does not fit into the sequence above and the 654*** belongs to May 1917.When the Territorial Force renumbered in 1917, the 21st Londons did so within the range 650001 to 680000.The photo on this post is that of 6883 Rifleman Zachariah Patmore who was killed in action on 23rd January 1917. The photograph is taken from the excellent WW1 Cemeteries website. Rifleman Patmore's number indicates that he joined the 21st London Regiment on the 31st August 1916 (and he was possibly transferred to this battalion from the East Surrey Regiment, soon after arriving overseas). His medal index card also shows the number 653350 which is the new number he would have been issued with when the TF was re-numbered in early 1917.

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WAR RECORD OF THE 21ST LONDON REGIMENT (FIRST SURREY RIFLES) 1914-1919

This from the Naval & Military Press website:

"The 21st Battalion, London Regiment, was a pre-war Territorial battalion in the 6th London Brigade, 2nd London Division, based at Camberwell. In 1915 the brigade was numbered 142nd and the division 47th. As with other TF battalions a second line battalion (2/21st) was raised soon after the outbreak of war and allocated to the newly formed 2/6th London Brigade, 2/2nd London Division - subsequently numbered 181st Brigade, 60th Division.

The 1/21st went to France in May 1915 and fought on the Western Front in the same brigade and division till February 1918 when, following the reorganisation of the BEF from four to three-battalion brigades, it was transferred to 140th Brigade, still in 47th Division, and soldiered on to the armistice.

"The 2/21st went to France in June 1916 and in November that year its division (60th) was sent to Salonika and fought in that theatre till June 1917 when it was transferred to Palestine. In June 1918 the battalion was disbanded and personnel were posted to other battalions of the division. In all 26 Battle Honours were awarded, reflecting service in three theatres of war, and the total dead numbered 58 officers and 988 other ranks.

"The book is divided in two parts, one for each battalion and at the end there is a consolidated list of honours and awards, including MiD and foreign awards, and a combined Roll of Honour with officers and other ranks shown separately, the latter extracted from Soldiers Died, and there is an index."

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WW1 Medal Index Cards 1914-1920First World War campaign medal entitlement details for close to 5 million men. You'll find ALL of a man's regimental numbers indexed here. Ancestry's search is limited to the last number a man was issued with; a serious failing.

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was born on 1st July 1881. The 1st Battalion was created out of the old 102nd Regiment of Foot (Royal Madras Fus...

Regimental Numbers

When did my relative enlist? When did my grandfather join up? On what date did he join his regiment?

A man's regimental number can tell you a lot about when he joined and even which battalion he joined. Note however, that there is a distinction between "enlisted" and "joined".

A man would generally enlist once - and be given a regimental number - or army number - on joining his regiment. If he joined another regiment he would be given a different number.

He could even be given a different number if he joined another battalion of the same regiment. In all probability this number would not be unique and could be repeated in many battalions and regiments throughout the British Army.

This blog aims to guide the researcher through the maze of regimental numbers issued by the British Army between 1881 and 1918.

The Army Service Numbers Database

The Army Service Numbers database is a database of British Army regimental numbers. This has been compiled from original sources, principally WO 363, WO 364, WO 96, WO 97 and WO 372 at the National Archives in London.

The database covers most units of the British Army which issued regimental numbers between the years 1881 and 1918: Infantry Regiments, Cavalry and Yeomanry, Royal Artillery and Royal Army Medical Corps.

What you will find on this blog is data from a far larger data set - generally one number per year up until 1914 and then one number per month from August 1914 onwards.

As general rules:

1. Army Service Numbers for regular battalions are uncomplicated and largely sequential up until 1914.

2. Numbering in the British Army becomes more complicated from December 1915.